The oldest examples of rock cut architecture in India, dating back to the Mauryan period, are found in which present day Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
Rock cut architecture is a distinctive feature of ancient Indian art and religion, involving the carving of temples, caves and halls directly into rock faces. While many famous rock cut sites belong to later periods, such as Ajanta and Ellora, the oldest surviving examples are earlier. This question asks where these earliest rock cut structures are located.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The question refers to the oldest rock cut architecture in India. • It asks in which present day Indian state these earliest examples are found. • The options are Rajasthan, Bihar, Karnataka and Mizoram.

Concept / Approach:
The oldest known rock cut caves in India are the Barabar and Nagarjuni caves, which date back to the Mauryan period during the reign of Emperor Ashoka and his successor. These caves are located in present day Bihar. They were dedicated to Ajivika ascetics and are remarkable for their highly polished interiors, sometimes called Mauryan polish. Later rock cut sites in Maharashtra or Karnataka are younger than these Mauryan era caves.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Barabar caves are often cited as the earliest surviving rock cut caves in India and that they are associated with Ashoka's time. Step 2: Remember that the Barabar and nearby Nagarjuni cave groups lie within the modern boundaries of Bihar. Step 3: Recognise that famous rock cut sites in Karnataka, such as Badami caves, and in Maharashtra, such as Ajanta and Ellora, belong to later centuries, not the earliest Mauryan period. Step 4: Note that Rajasthan and Mizoram are not known as locations for the very earliest rock cut caves. Step 5: Based on this, choose Bihar as the correct state.

Verification / Alternative check:
Art history and archaeology references describe the Barabar caves in Bihar as the oldest rock cut caves in India, dating to the third century BCE. These sources clearly place the caves in the Gaya district region of Bihar, confirming that the earliest rock cut architecture is found there.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Rajasthan) has important forts and temples but is not the site of the earliest rock cut caves. Option C (Karnataka) has notable rock cut temples such as those at Badami and Aihole, but these are from later historical periods. Option D (Mizoram) does not figure in standard discussions of ancient rock cut architecture in India.

Common Pitfalls:
• Learners may think of the more famous later rock cut complexes like Ajanta and Ellora and incorrectly associate the oldest rock cut architecture with Maharashtra or Karnataka, even though those states are not in the options here. • Others may not recall the Barabar caves specifically and might guess based on general knowledge of heritage sites, but remembering the Mauryan link and the state of Bihar helps fix this fact.

Final Answer:
The oldest rock cut architecture in India is found in present day Bihar.